CCM&M #120 - Fancy Folds

Good afternoon!! It's challenge time over at CCMM. This fortnight, the theme is Fancy Folds - so anything with fancy folds will do!! Our sponsors are The Stamping Boutique who are offering 3 images of the winner's choice.

I wasn't sure quite what to do so had a look on Pinterest. I came across a site called Card Making Magic - and they had instructions for a fancy tri-fold card. Now, I liked the idea - but decided to add my own twist to it. So, rather than scoring for a tri-fold card, I scored 9cm from each end of a piece of A4 card. The front flaps still overlap - but not as much.  I then scored diagonally down each flap, then parallel to the edge of the card, and finally so that the corners pointed out.

For my card, I have used an image from our sponsor called Cupcake. I kept the colour scheme simple. The Raspberry base card is from Papermill, with two blue papers from Crafter's Companion's Halcyon Days CD. 

The image is coloured with Spectrum Noirs - IB1, 2, 3; PL1, BP2, BP6 and BP7. I cut it out with a Spellbinders Exquisite Circles die. Have never got the hang of using these with the circles dies - but like the star shapes they give. A larger die from the set was used to cut the raspberry mat. Two colours of ribbon and a few pearls finish the card off. 

If you pop over to the Crafty Cardmakers blog to check out the work from the other DT members you'll notice it's a bit thin on the ground. A few of our wonderful team have had to step down - so keep your eyes peeled for a DT call very soon!! In the meantime get busy folding!! 

I would like to enter this into:

Crafting When We Can - Bright Colours

Cxxx

Party Paws Christmas Collection - Sneak Peek 3 and 4!

Good morning to you all!! Hope you've got lots of great crafty things in store for today!!

Later on today, I will be sharing the latest challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More - so thought I would go for two cards in one post this morning!! I have to admit that all this Christmas crafting during some of the hottest days we have had this year was really strange. My Christmas crafting usually starts towards the end of October - I have NEVER thought of starting my Christmas makes this early - other than making a few purchases of course!!

I've gone for two cards made from the Hunkdory Kit. This first one is a DL card - the base was cut from one of the sheets of patterned card. I chose three toppers from the sheets that all had a yellow edge to them. The small one I used at the top has a greeting - Just for You. 

I used more of the patterned card, and some yellow Tim Holtz Distress Core'dinations card to matt and layer the toppers. For the strip down the middle, I used a little Gold Foil card with a length of the patterned card. I wrapped some gold satin ribbon around this and attached 3 little bells to the bottom.

The second of the cards is an 8x8. I used another of the patterned card designs, and cut off the end with the printed image on. I then edged each side with Die'sire Lace Border 1. I turned the card 90 degrees to its original orientation so the decoration is down the side. This was matted and layered onto some red and green card, and then the card blank. 

I used more of the red and green card to mount the topper on - and also the sentiment. Around the middle I wrapped some red and green satin ribbon, and attached two little red bells - one each side. 

For both of these cards, I used the matching insert, inside the card.

Remember that sneak peeks will continue through the week from all the Design Team - and you can catch the shows on Saturday and Sunday.

Be back later. Take care,

Cxxxx

Party Paws Christmas Collection - Sneak Peek #2

Back again with another sneak peek from the Party Paws Christmas Collection. This one is an Easel Card made using one of the eight stamp sets - this one is called 'Dear Santa'. 

I used my Spectrum Noir pens on the Neenah Solar White card to colour this gorgeous image in:

Dark Fur - IG9, 8, 7, 6, 5

Light Fur Shading - IG1, 2

Cheeks - FS6, Blender

Hat - DR3, CR11, 9, 7

Hat Trim Shading - TB1, Blender

Sack - EB8, 6, 5, 3

Presents - FS1, 2, GB2, TN1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

I printed a couple of the papers from CD1 onto Satin Finish Paper (Design Set 2/10, and Co-ord Paper 2) and used the colouriser to create a colour that would tone with the presents.

The sentiment I chose from the set was 'Dear Santa, I've been good this year' - and used it as the stopper for the Easel card.  As ever, I added a bit of organza ribbon and some pearls to complete the card!!

Don't forget - you can see the collection on Create and Craft Saturday 9th - 9am, 12pm and 6pm - and Sunday 10th - 11am, 2pm and 7pm. 

Back tomorrow!!

Cxxx

It's Sneak Peek Time with Party Paws Christmas Collection!!

Good morning!! I've been a bit busy already!! Just popped to the local market for some A4 card - and while I was there I found a great stall selling Fuschias for £1 a pot!! Couldn't resist - and four are now sat on my patio in the sunshine waiting for me to plant them!!

But onto the business of the day!! It's time to start sharing sneak peeks of what I have been working on recently!! It's Party Paws - such a cute little character!! The 'Party Paws Christmas Collection' will be featuring as the Weekender on Create and Craft on the 9th and 10th of August. The collection contains two CD's, eight A6 rubber stamp sets, a Hunkydory topper kit, Hunkydory card inserts, and a Hunkydory snowy acetate pack!!

As I have so many samples to share with you, I am going to attempt to blog one each morning - and one each afternoon!! This may not happen - so you may find two cards in one post!! 

So  - where to begin? I think with the CD's as that's what I first got my hands on. 

This card combines elements from both CD1 - which is your traditional Crafter's Companion format CD, and CD2 which is the newer format and contains PDF files. 

The main card is from CD2 - and is one of the Decoupage cards.  I printed this out onto Centura Peal Snow White Hint of Gold card, and also on Neenah Solar White card. This was so I could decoupage using a matt rather than pearly image. I then printed the matching image from the Decoupage section of CD1 onto Neenah Solar White to create the tag. The smaller tags came as part of the other sheets, but I created the longer one for the decoupage image using the matching papers. 

The little buttons are also from the sheets - covered in Glossy Accents to make them shiny. I edged everything with Distress Inks - Antique Linen, Evergreen Bough, and Aged Mahogany. I used some glitter glue on the flowers to make them sparkle.   

Don't forget - you can see the collection on Create and Craft Saturday 9th - 9am, 12pm and 6pm - and Sunday 10th - 11am, 2pm and 7pm. And keep your eyes peeled for sneak peeks from the rest of the Design Team - there are loads of fab projects to check out!!

Will be back later!!

Cxxxx

Thank you!!

Good morning!! Has been a good one so far for me!! Had a great parkrun this morning - despite the absolutely torrential rain - with my 5th fastest time so far - and the best I've run since the beginning of May!! Have to say that yesterday's SUP fitness class was cancelled and at the time I was disappointed - but maybe all that saved energy was a bonus today!!

Anyway, it's been well over a week since I blogged - but I can assure you I will be making up for it in the next couple of weeks, as sneak peeks of what I have been working on will be starting tomorrow!! It's been full on making samples - alongside fitting in a few days out with my lovely nieces!!

But before all of that starts, I thought I would share with you a few 'Thank You' cards I made for the end of the summer term. 

I used Crafter's Companion Kraft card to layer onto what used to be called a 'small tall' card (roughly 8cm x 20cm) by Craft Tonic. I bought loads of them when I first started crafting - don't think you can get them anymore. But I still have a stash and they were perfect for this. I then used paper from Kanban's Well Wishes pad to go with the matching Heart topper, and matted and layered this with Kraft card, inked with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. A few pearls and a piece of twine finished it all off. 

 

The other two were completed in a similar way - just different toppers and sentiments.

I would like to enter this into:
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Challenges - Anything Goes

Be back soon!!
Cxxx

New Beginnings!

This time of year always seems like the 'end' of things. The end of the school term, the end of the school year, the end of work for a while. And this year - a lady who I have known and worked with in different capacities for 10 years, has decided to 'end' her career and retire. 

But maybe I should all look on all this as the beginning of new things - and not the end. The beginning of the holidays - the start of working with a new group of children - and the start of a whole new phase in this lovely lady's life.

I was invited to her 'leaving do' - and the number of people there - and the lovely things that were said about her in various speeches - paid testament to what a wonderful teacher and leader she has been throughout her career.

I decided to make her a little card and gift as my way of saying thank you for the support she has given me. 

For the base card I folded an A4 piece of Crafter's Companion Kraft card in half, then cut it down to make a square card. The topper is from Kanban's Well Wishes and Celebrations collection - with the paper being from the co-ordinating paper pad. Everything is matted and layered with more Kraft card. I embossed one of the layers with Spellbinders Grand Dainty Dots folder. 

For the tag, I printed the message onto more Kraft card, then cut a tag shape around it. This was mounted on more of the paper and card. I used the paper to make the flower - with Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms, and the leaves are from the same set. I finished off by inking the edges with Vintage Photo DI, and a little twine.

I found the quote for the frame on-line, and printed it onto Kraft card. I used the same paper to matt and layer, and make the flowers. The shop-bought box frame was made to look a little more vintage, by sanding down the edges.

Tuesday Throwdown - Handmade flowers

Craft My Life - All Crafts Challenge - Frame

Take care - and will be back soon.

Cxxx

Pretty Poppies!!

Hope you're all well! I have had a great weekend - made even better knowing that I don't have to go to work tomorrow! Yesterday, being Saturday, was parkrun. We ventured away from home to show our support to my eldest stepson on his 50th parkrun!! He did really brilliantly with a new PB - on the back of a fantastic performance last weekend at the British 10K in London - coming home in the 46th fastest time out of a field of 25,000 runners!! Not bad!!! 

As it was a different parkrun to usual, I did manage to record a PB for that course - but still a couple of minutes slower than my usual PB. Will wait until the Autumn, with the cooler weather, to attempt a new PB!!

This week was the last week of term for me - with lots going on. That, coupled with a lot of crafting commitments, has been the main reason for the slow down in blogging. Will be full on for the next two or three weeks - but will try to pop on now and again to share some of what I've been up to.

Today's share is actually a set I made for a friend's birthday a while ago. It consists of a 'mug mat', a card and a framed picture/quote.

The gorgeous poppy image came from Graphicals on Etsy - a beautiful site with some lovely vintage images for sale. 

For the mug mat, I printed the image onto printable cotton fabric, then patch-worked it with some fabric from my stash. It's backed with plain red cotton, with a little bit of wadding in between.

The card is 6x6, with the image printed onto Elegance satin card, cut with a Spellbinders circle die. I used matt black card for the scalloped circle, and for the border which was cut with Spellbinders Edgeabilities - Triple Scallop and one of the inserts. The red is Centura Pearl, and the lime green is Bazzill Bling. The gorgeously bold paper is from Craftwork Cards Monochrome collection. I finished it will a few red pearls.

Into a shop-bought frame, I layered more of the green, black and red cards, with more of the monochrome paper. I printed the image with the quote onto Elegance satin card.

I would like to enter

Card:

Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything Goes

Take care,

Cxxx